A COUPLE’S summer holiday ended in misery after a crooked shuttle bus driver at Birmingham airport stole the holdall with their money and passports in it.

A Judge decided that before sentencing him, he wants to know how much Nazar Hussain’s dishonesty cost the holidaymakers.

Hussain, 39, of Passey Road, Moseley, had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to stealing the holdall and its contents including two passports and 1,100 euros.

Prosecutor John Bartlett said that in June, Hussain was working as a shuttle bus driver at Birmingham airport, taking passengers between the car parks and the terminal.

After one run to the terminal on June 3, as the last of his passengers were getting off Hussain got up from his seat and walked down the bus.

He picked up a piece of hand luggage and took it back to his seat where he put it on the floor and covered it with his fluorescent jacket.

The court was shown the victim suddenly realising she had left her holdall behind, and rushing back to the bus. But the holdall was no longer by her seat, and when she asked Hussain he denied any knowledge of it.

She was distraught because it had their passports and 1,100 euros spending money in it – and as a result they lost their holiday.

The loss of the bag was reported, and after checking CCTV tapes officers went to Hussain’s home later that evening, and he again denied any knowledge of the holdall.

But when it became apparent there was going to be a search he admitted it was in the boot of his car.

The holdall was recovered, but it had been searched and the 1,100 euros had been removed – and was recovered from Hussain’s wallet which was found hidden down the back of the settee in his home, said Mr Bartlett.

Judge Marten Coates said: “Someone lost her holiday – and this man ensured she lost it because when she came back to the bus he denied it.

“She was going off on her summer holiday, and she lost it because of his greed. I have to consider the question of compensation.”

Tom Schofield, defending, said Hussain had been co-operative with the police when they turned up at his home, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, and has written a letter which showed ‘he feels real remorse’.

Adjourning the case for the victim to be contacted about the full impact of the mean theft, Judge Coates told Hussain: “I need to know the true cost of this. I did not realise what you had really done. You had potentially ruined a person’s annual holiday.”